Full Name Derek Trent

Birthday March 21, 1980

Birthplace Knoxville, Tennessee

Hometown Colorado Springs, Colorado

College University of Colorado at Colorado Springs

Biography

Derek started skating at 8 years old. "I began skating in Knoxville, Tenn., at the Ice Chalet with my first skating coaches Larry Laborde and Robert Unger," he said.

He moved to Colorado Springs with his family when he was 10. "I began skating on a daily basis," Derek said.

He began ice dancing when he was 12. Derek and partner Eve Chalom finished third at the 1993 Junior National Championships as intermediates.

Derek also competed at Junior Nationals with his younger sister Kelli, who no longer skates.

"My true passion for the sport came when I started pair skating under the guidance of Irina Vorobieva," Derek said.

He began pairs skating as a teenager. "My parents had strongly suggested I not skate pairs until I grew," he said. "Finally, at the age of 16, I was not 'scrawny' anymore."

Derek skated with Katie Gadkowski and finished fourth in novice at the 1998 U.S. Championships. The pair finished fourth in juniors in 1999.

Derek won the bronze medal in junior pairs at the 2001 U.S. Championships with Brandilyn Sandoval. He also placed 14th at the 2003 U.S. Championships with Stacey Pensgen.

Tiffany and Derek are the first pair team to successfully complete a throw quadruple Salchow in an International Skating Union competition. She landed the throw at Trophee Eric Bompard in Paris, France, on November 17, 2007.

Derek, who is a fluent Spanish speaker, received a Bachelor's degree in business with a minor in Spanish, in 2002, from the University of Colorado at Colorado Springs.

"I'm currently working towards my MBA through the University of Colorado at Colorado Springs," Derek said. He would like to work in international real estate.

Derek currently has his real estate license in Arizona.

He also coaches dance, freestyle, moves and pairs at the Alltel Ice Den in Scottsdale, Ariz. Derek is also certified gold level skating judge currently on inactive status.

"It would be good to become a technical specialist," he said.

His passions include history, movies, travel and skiing. His other passion is watching Broadway but not singing. "We don’t want to hear that," Derek laughed.

Favorites

Animal Monkey

Author James Patterson

Movies Horrors, mysteries

Music All except opera

Food Desserts